The Pirate King Is Dead - Long Live The Pirate King

Part 3 of a Four Part Saga

By Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Eight - Misunderstandings

When Usopp came to, he blearily scanned his surroundings. There was Nami, breathing a sigh of relief. Luffy was still wearing his cloak to conceal his identity. To their right stood Ferris and Merry, who also looked relieved to see he was alright.

"He's coming to!" Merry exclaimed.

"Thank goodness!" said a voice from above. Usopp titled his head back and looked up to his right. As soon as he realized his head was in Kaya's lap, he bolted up and ran ten feet across the room.

He bowed deeply. "I'm sorry," he said curtly, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"Usopp-san…" Kaya said, startled.

He swiveled his body to the left and bowed deeper to Ferris in order to conceal his grimace. "And forgive me for intruding and resting my head in your wife's lap." He turned around and stomped away. If it weren't for Nami reaching out and grabbing his ear, he would have left the room.

"Wife!" Merry cried.

"What are you talking about?" Ferris demanded, his face flushing.

"Oh, don't play me for a fool!" Usopp yelled back, yanking his ear free from Nami's grip. "I heard the maid, I saw the candy and the flowers. 'Happy anniversary'," he sang.

Kaya put her hand to her mouth.

"Ferris, is this true!" Merry demanded.

The larger, well-built man put his hand on the back of his neck. "Yes. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Usopp narrowed his eyes.

"Aw…!" Kaya cooed just like the maid had earlier.

Merry's eyes became hearts. "Ferris!" he cried.

"Happy anniversary, you two!" Kaya cheered.

Luffy, Nami and Usopp nearly fell over.

"You two!" Usopp shouted, pointing to Merry and Ferris, who were a little too wrapped up in each other to answer. He turned to Kaya who cocked her head to the side.

"I'm sorry for the confusion, Usopp-san," she said gently.

He blinked at her. "No, no! There's nothing for you to apologize for! This was entirely my fault. I'm sorry," he said, bowing again and again. Kaya laughed. He looked up slowly.

"I missed you, Usopp-san," Kaya said with a smile.

Like Nojiko had done, Kaya insisted everyone stay the night so they could travel rested the following day. Merry served them dinner in a private room so that Luffy could at last remove his cloak. News about the execution had not reached Syrup yet, but they were both glad to hear that their friends were alright.

"Where will you go next?" Kaya asked Nami.

"We're going to Luffy's home village, it's called Fuchsia and not far from here, actually. I'm glad it's so close to where Usopp's going to be. We can visit all the time!"

Kaya looked quickly to Usopp who choke a bit on his wine. "Yeah, I guess I hadn't told you that yet. I'm… uh…"

"Home!" Kaya said. "Oh, this is wonderful! I thought you were just visiting. You're really staying here in Syrup!"

Usopp wondered if he was dreaming. "That was the plan…"

"I'll have some of the guest annex made up for you immediately," she declared and rang for Merry.

"Whoa, wait, Kaya I can't possibly…"

"Nonsense," she asserted. "I have the means and I won't take no for an answer."

Merry entered the room and asked what he could do for them.

"Kaya," Usopp said darkly. "I don't deserve such kindness… The Going Merry…"

"Ah! The Going Merry!" Merry chimed. "How did it fare you?"

Usopp pouted. Nami and Luffy exchanged looks, but said nothing.

"It was destroyed a year and a half into our voyage in the middle of the Grand Line…" he stated.

"The Grand Line…" Merry gasped. "I'm amazed! It got that far!"

Usopp's eyes widened. "You… What?"

Merry clutched his hands in front of him. "The Going Merry was a Caravel: a small ship meant for pleasure cruises, not long voyages. I thought that if you did make it that far that surely you'd buy a new one…" He wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm so proud that it was able to serve you so well!"

The three remaining members of the Straw Hat pirates were silent for a moment, recalling their long-lost first ship.

The little boat that had carried them from Rogue Town set sail again, loaded up one more time with a few supplies, clothes from Nojiko and Kaya and well-wishes. Nami and Luffy waved to Merry, Kaya and Usopp who crowed that he would see them in a few months after they'd gotten settled in.

When they could no longer see the boat, they turned and made their way back up the northern slope. "So, Usopp-san…" Kaya said, lacing her arm through his. "Tell me a story."

He grinned. "I think I have a few to tell you," he replied.

.x.

After a large, sumptuous dinner during which Luffy ate more meat than any normal man could consume and still live, the servants took the roles of entertainers. Merry played a baby grand piano and Ferris sang toe-tapping songs that helped fill the large parlor with mirth. The atmosphere was miles from the doom and gloom of just a week ago when the disbanded Mugiwara Kaizoku-dan met in Rogue Town to save their condemned captain.

"Ah! This is great!" Usopp crowed and leaned back into the plush couch he shared with Kaya. "You guys'll be just around the corner, right?" he asked.

"Ah! That's right!" Luffy agreed. "We'll be able to visit all the time!"

Nami crossed her legs. "That's good…" she said sort of absently. Kaya regarded the navigator as she slowly sipped her coffee. Luffy clapped her on the shoulder, nearly spilling the hot beverage, but being used to his outbursts, Nami saved herself easily.

"Yeah, isn't that great!" he asked her enthusiastically.

"I said it was good," she repeated. Luffy quieted and occupied himself inhaling a plate of cookies on a table to his right.

Kaya blinked a few times. "Oh, are you two going to the same place?" she asked.

Nami began to answer her but Luffy interrupted, cookie crumbs flying out of his mouth as he excitedly responded. "Yeah! She's my wife!"

"Not legally," Nami stressed. "We're wanted. If we were to legally marry we might be found out." She glared at Luffy. He swallowed the last of the cookies and made a face.

"Oh, that's too bad. You won't get to have a proper wedding then?"

"Proper wedding?" Luffy asked as if the term was foreign to him.

Usopp rubbed his chin. "Ah, yeah. That's too bad. Weddings are awesome parties, Luffy!" he chimed. "You get all your friends and family together and celebrate!"

Luffy didn't seem as excited about this as he had been a moment ago.

"That's not the whole point, Usopp-san," Kaya corrected him. "What matters most are the vows, the promise that the couple makes to each other."

Luffy interrupted as if he didn't realize that Kaya was speaking. "Nah. We don't need a wedding," he said, leaning back on the sofa he occupied next to his common-law wife. "Sounds stupid."

The song Merry was playing suddenly ended and the room was filled with an awkward silence. All eyes were on the new couple. Luffy stared at the ceiling. Nami stared at the floor. Suddenly she stood up and smiled. "I'm gonna turn in," she announced. Kaya motioned for Ferris and the servant showed her to her room. When she had gone, the attention fell back on Luffy but he was still observing the ceiling, arms stretched across the back of the sofa.

The last room on the left at the end of the hallway was open and had been prepared for Nami's stay. Ferris bowed slightly and waited for her to enter. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Navigator?" he asked, looking up sympathetically. "Would you like to talk?"

Nami relaxed and gave him half a smile. "Thanks. I'll be alright. Good night, Ferris."

"Good night, Miss Navigator."

"Ferris?" she asked as he turned around. "Could you tell me where…?"

The servant pointed to the door across from hers and bowed once more before leaving.

Nami sighed, turned and closed her door behind her.

To be continued…